Growth rate of seedling (Rhizophora sp.) in mangrove ecosystem rehabilitation, Banda Aceh, Aceh Province

Abstract

Ecosystem mangrove is an important ecosystem both ecologically and economically. Therefore, this ecosystem needs to be managed in a sustainable manner. Mangrove rehabilitation is one of the activities to reduce the rate of destruction of mangrove forests and it is a conservation effort on damaged mangrove land. The purposes of the research were to analyse the rate growth of seedling Rhizophora sp. after rehabilitation, and the correlation between environmental parameters and seedling growth in mangrove rehabilitation, Aceh Besar and Banda Aceh. The observation was started from January to March 2022. The results obtained are important data in planning sustainable mangrove forest management. The highest increasing in stem height and stem diameter of Rhizophora sp. were at stations one with values of 1.22 cm week−1 and 0.25 mm week−1. All sampling location showed the number of leaves was increased 1 leave week−1. The highest increasing of stem height at the fourth week with the value were 2.1 cm week−1 in station 1, and 2.2 cm week−1 for station 2. The pearson correlation explained that there was no significantly correlation between environmental characteristics included C-organic, soil fraction, nitrogen (N total), potassium (K), dissolved oxygen (DO), pH and temperature with seedlings growth of Rhizophora sp where Psig.>0.05. However, the soil profile consisted of Phosphorous (P) and salinity was significantly correlation with seedling growth due to Psig. <0.05.